North Vietnam Motorbike Tour from Hanoi to Thac Ba Lake – 11 days

Our fantastic trip starts at 9:00 AM from Hanoi, and our first destination is Mai Chau valley. As soon as we get out of the hustle and bustle capital city, we can realize the dramatic change in the landscape. In front of our eyes are not vibrant streets, but vast paddy fields and quiet villages. Except for lunch, we will keep going until we reach Mai Chau.

This lovely valley is where you can witness the grandeur of nature in Vietnam, as well as the unique cultures of ethnic minorities. The humble villages of Thai people nestle in the middle of the imposing mountain ranges. Lac Village, Pom Coong Village, Mo Luong Cave, and Chieu Cave are the most famous attractions here. The way to Mai Chau won’t be too difficult, and we can show up in the valley at 5 PM to check in at our homestay.

Summary:

• Distance: 170 km
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

On the second day, we will leave Mai Chau for Phu Yen in Son La. If you derive pleasure from photography, then don’t bid farewell to Mai Chau without some pictures. Before we can have lunch in Moc Chau Plateau, we have to overcome several bumpy steep trails.

In the afternoon, we will continue our trip by crossing the Da River. Phu Yen with its beauty will soon appear to sweep away all the tiredness. We expect to get to the district at 4:30 PM. At an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, Phu Yen offers the typical enchantments of the Northwest – sublime mountain ranges covered in lush forests. Dreamlike Suoi Chieu Lake or majestic Muong Tac terraced field is a well-known spot in Phu Yen. We will spend our night in this locality.

Summary:

• Distance: 150 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

The third day of the trip will lead us to Than Uyen via Mu Cang Chai – one of the most beautiful places in North Vietnam (and in the whole country as well). What makes Mu Cang Chai so special is the breathtaking terraced fields. Well, we all know that terraced fields are beautiful, but in this land, they are outstanding. Notably, the ripe rice season in Tu Le Village often appears in global travel magazines. Mu Cang Chai is home to Black Hmong people so we can watch their distinctive cultural features. After that, we will come to Than Uyen and stay overnight there.

Summary:

• Distance: 210 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

Sapa is probably not a new attraction to you as it is a popular destination in Northern Vietnam. Sapa is a small town in Lao Cai province, and it possesses the rooftop of the Indochina Peninsula. We can only arrive at Sapa at noon after overcoming all the rough roads, and O Quy Ho Pass – one of the four greatest passes in the North. Along the way, we can admire numerous spectacular sceneries – towering green mountains, silvery waterfalls, colorful wildflowers, villages of ethnic minorities, etc. Of course, we will go for a walk to explore the best of the town. After dinner, let’s enter the town’s center and join some activities with the local people here.

Summary:

• Distance: 110 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel/ Homestay

Don’t wake up too late if you don’t want to miss the sunrise and enjoy the fresh air. After a hearty breakfast, we will mount on our motorbikes and ride to Bac Ha in Lao Cai province. Bac Ha is often likened to the White Upland of the Northwest. This is because the town is covered in white plum flowers in spring. At the weekend, we have an excellent chance to join a regular kermis where the best brocade products and mountainous delicacies can be found. The splendid landscapes on the way to Bac Ha will be a great source of motivation, yet you still need to ride with full attention. We are supposed to get to Bac Ha at around 4 PM. We will explore the town today and leave for Ha Giang tomorrow.

Summary:

• Distance: 160 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

Let’s bid farewell to romantic Bac Ha and head to Ha Giang. We are about to reach a land full of striking attractions. We can kindle the excitement in you just by listing several highlights in Ha Giang – the picturesque Hoang Su Phi terraced field, the mysterious Vuong Palace, the renowned Dong Van Rock Plateau, the dangerous Ma Pi Leng pass – another one of the four greatest passes, poetic Dong Van Old Quarter, Quan Ba Twin Mountains, etc. Also, the twisted roads here will ignite your adventurous spirit. Ha Giang is a worthwhile tourist destination – that’s undeniable. We will rest in a hotel at night in Ha Giang to recover our energy and prepare for the next challenges.

Summary:

• Distance: 190 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

“New day – new place” – that’s how we enjoy our journey. And today we will together explore Dong Van – a Ha Giang district. One day is probably not enough for full exploration in Dong Van, but we will still exert ourselves to have the best experiences. The exclusive architecture of Vuong Palace or the unaged allure of Dong Van Old Quarter is the reason why we cannot skip Dong Van on a tour exploring Northern Vietnam. Coming to the town at 5 PM, we can have a night with unforgettable moments.

Summary:

• Distance: 150 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

It’s going to be a pity if we leave Dong Van too soon. Therefore, let’s wake up a little earlier and meander around the town. We bet that you will be amazed as you encounter buildings with French architecture. We will continue to ride to Bao Lac at 10 AM. On the way, we will pass by the most famous spot in Dong Van – the rock plateau with the same name. With its grandeur and scientific values, the site was recognized as a global geological park by UNESCO.

Next, we will subdue one of the biggest challenges of the trip – the Ma Pi Leng Pass. Despite a humble length of 20 kilometers, the pass comprises plenty of sharp curves. The terrifying slope also makes this nerve-racking pass a real dare for even experienced riders. If you are an adventure seeker, Ma Pi Leng will sate your desire. However, the serene Nho Que River and breathtaking spectacles along the pass are a charm that we cannot resist. Around 4:30 PM, we can find ourselves in Bao Lac, where we will stay for tonight.

Summary:

• Distance: 160 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel

To move from Bao Lac to Ba Be, we will follow the poetic Gam River. This means we will go through villages with friendly people who always smile at visitors. The route includes wide roads mingled with bumpy trails, so riding with full attention is not a lavish thing. You can snap some impressive pictures with a variety of backgrounds ranging from tranquil villages to winding streams.

It will be perfect if we can arrive at Ba Be Lake by 3 PM. Spreading out in front of us is one of the twenty most beautiful freshwater lakes in the world. There are dozens of magnificent attractions in this area such as An Ma Temple, Tien Pond, Goa Islet, etc. A boat trip will be all we need to enjoy the best of Ba Be Lake. We end the ninth day of the journey in a homestay with the warm greeting of the Tay people.

Summary:

• Distance: 150 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

Ba Be Lake is incredible, but still, we have to say goodbye to it and continue to visit another excellent destination – Thac Ba Lake in Yen Bai province. With its unique majesty, Thac Ba is dubbed as “Ha Long Bay on a mountain”. You are about to see one of the three largest artificial lakes in Vietnam with an area of up to 20000 hectares. Once again, we take a boat trip to optimize the experience. Our journey will be more meaningful as we will visit – one of the most important historical monument complexes of Vietnam in the 20th century. Tonight we will stay with a Dzao family to find out more about their cultures and customs.

Summary:

• Distance: 160 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

This is already the last day of our trip. At 8 AM, we will leave Thac Ba and come back to Hanoi city. Well, all good things must come to an end. After constant challenges of tortuous tracks, we have had experiences that will exist in perpetuity. We strongly believe that you will definitely lavish this 11-day motorbike tour exploring Northern Vietnam from Hanoi to Thac Ba.

Summary:

• Distance: 180 km
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch